7 Scintillating Books That Will Awaken Your Sustainable Spirit

It’s strange to think that it wasn’t relatively long ago when the sustainable movement was hardly more than small random pockets of eco-conscious groups and individuals scattered about the planet. Today, modern sustainability is widely celebrated lifestyle, with annual events like Earth Day attracting over 1 billion people in 192 countries partaking in its events all over the world. Whether your zero waste motivation is to change the world, change your carbon footprint, or just to keep more change in your pocket, simply living out your environmental aspirations can provide a spark inspiration for those others around you with every eco-friendly action you take. And because being well-informed is the best way to make a difference, we’ve compiled a list of 7 scintillating must-read books about sustainability that will have you Rethinking & Reinventing the way you see the planet, and how you decide to live the rest of your life on it.

Silent Spring

by Rachel Carlson

American biologist Rachel Carlson sounded the alarm over the damaging environmental effects caused by the widespread use of chemical pesticides with her book Silent Spring, and it’s as relevant today as it was when it was published nearly 60 years ago. Highlighting how big industry disinformation, governmental negligence can lead to a dangerous overuse in crop farming around the world that degrades our physical health and the damages the planet. Silent Spring was instrumental in awakening the general public to the harm caused by an indiscriminate misuse of toxic pesticides, an issue that continues to threaten humanity and our future 60 years later.

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are

by Frans De Waal

Do we humans give animals the cognitive credit they deserve? This is the question that Frans De Waal explores in this fascinating read about the idiosyncrasies and intricacies of animal intelligence with a novel approach. From the simplest animals to the more complex, Are We Smart Enough takes us on a scintillating safari into the surprisingly sophisticated intellect of the animal kingdom. When you reflect on the science behind the way elephants can recognize their own reflection, how mice can differentiate the gender of humans observing them, or the way octopuses craftily use surrounding objects for tools, you can’t help but “rethink everything you thought you knew about animal –and human– intelligence.”

101 Ways to Go Zero Waste

by Kathryn Kellogg

Were you aware it takes about 8 gallons of water to create a single paper plate? Or that every plastic toothbrush ever made still exists? Perfectly self-described as ‘an accessible guide, to personal waste reduction,’ 101 Ways To GO Zero Waste is an inspirational starter guide for newcomers looking to get started on their zero waste journey, and a helpful DIY resource for seasoned environmentalists. Spark your green motivation with the many not-so-fun-facts and difficult truths about how we wastefully consume, and a plethora of easy-to-follow steps and tips to start reducing plastic waste.

Give a Shit

by Kathryn Piper

Please forgive her French, but Ashlee Piper’s Give a Shit, the refreshingly non-preachy and unpretentious green Bible that reads like a long note from your best friend’s quirky mom, is sustainable resource guide that will have you laughing at every stop along your zero waste journey. Shine a light into every wasteful nook & cranny of your home (and life) when you discover this all the sustainable gold nuggets in this environmental treasure trove of a book, a bounty of useful information, actionable tips, and eco-friendly ideas so you can clean up your act. So if you prefer to have your planet-saving pointers swerved in sass with a side of self-deprecating humor, you’ll have to get a taste of this hearty green guide that will make you, well...give a shit!

Beyond Words - What Animals Think and Feel

by Carl Safina

If we are to believe that our ability to “think” and “feel” is what makes humanity unique, then how might we view life differently if we are faced with overwhelming scientific evidence that can prove that the other animals are just as capable of experiencing and expressing the exact same emotions that we feel? What if it turns out that we are far from being the only self-cognizant creatures on Earth who are capable of having thoughts, developing relationships, mourning their dead, or can experience emotions like pain, terror, loneliness, and sorrow? With first-hand experience and relying on clear scientific evidence to make a compelling case that animals do indeed think and feel “human” thoughts and emotions, award-winning author and ecologist Carl Safina shines a light on how socially accepted animal cruelty is a result of human ignorance. Beyond Words threatens to forever shift your paradigms, leaving you questioning whether the true nature of humanity is one of beauty or beast.

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference

by Greta Thundberg

In 2019 Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg took the world by storm and finally brought the green movement to the forefront of global consciousness, at the age of 16, with her now-famous address to the World Economic Forum in Davos. But the origin of her environmental activism was many years prior, when she convinced her parents to switch our several lifestyle choices for more sustainable ones. No One is Too Small to Make a Difference is a collection of Greta’s speeches, whose writing & speaking style resonates with millions around the world; it’s amusing, as it is impassioned and inspiring. Through the resonating words of this pint-sized “patron of the planet,” we become reminded that the significance of every single choice we make impacts the environment and shapes the future for humanity.

The Hidden Life of Trees

by Peter Wohlleben

The Hidden Life of Trees, a definite must-read for the tree-hugger at heart, is a New York Times bestseller that takes us on an enchanting excursion through the deep forest to uncover the remarkable life of our giving trees. The beautifully-written love child of an author’s lifelong love affair with the forest, Hidden Life presents fascinating observations and groundbreaking scientific discoveries to show how trees show an ability to communicate, protect, and nurture each other. They are purposeful beings of Earth that eat, breathe, and LIVE just as we do. Wohlleben beautifully shares his intimate knowledge of the living timbers that tower over us, incorporating a philosophical approach to understanding the science of trees to offer the world a profoundly eye-opening glimpse into the inner life and soul of these magnificent lumbering giants.